Hi chaps.
I live with off grid power, we have solar panels and a bank of batteries.
In the summer it's common that the bank is full and the panels are able to produce a surplus.
What to do with all this power!? I've disliked seeing it's untapped potential the last couple of years.
My answer... Build a ebike!
I already had a decent aluminium framed mountain bike, a Claud Butler Cape Wrath with front shocks and hydraulic disc brakes. As a prototype and entry point into the world of ebiking I wanted to keep my conversion as cheap as possible so I bought a Chinese kit from eBay and sourced some SLA batteries on the cheap. (Shock horror.) The idea is that once the SLA are dead if I am still captured and enthused by my new machine then I will know it's worth spending the capital on some form of lithium battery. (Any idea how many real world battery cycles I'll get out of my SLA's? I am diligent about keeping them topped up and avoiding regular deep discharge. Being into off grid solar I am familiar with caring for and using SLA in my daily life.)
It uses a 500 watt rear hub motor with 36v 12ah of lead acid batteries. On the third charge cycle it covered 24 miles, me assisting with very gentle pedaling. (On private land of course.) It has a top unassisted speed of around 20 mph on the flat. I expect the battery capacity to settle in a little lower after a few more charge cycles, would I be correct? She weighs 30kg at the moment.
Here she is:
I live with off grid power, we have solar panels and a bank of batteries.
In the summer it's common that the bank is full and the panels are able to produce a surplus.
What to do with all this power!? I've disliked seeing it's untapped potential the last couple of years.
My answer... Build a ebike!
I already had a decent aluminium framed mountain bike, a Claud Butler Cape Wrath with front shocks and hydraulic disc brakes. As a prototype and entry point into the world of ebiking I wanted to keep my conversion as cheap as possible so I bought a Chinese kit from eBay and sourced some SLA batteries on the cheap. (Shock horror.) The idea is that once the SLA are dead if I am still captured and enthused by my new machine then I will know it's worth spending the capital on some form of lithium battery. (Any idea how many real world battery cycles I'll get out of my SLA's? I am diligent about keeping them topped up and avoiding regular deep discharge. Being into off grid solar I am familiar with caring for and using SLA in my daily life.)
It uses a 500 watt rear hub motor with 36v 12ah of lead acid batteries. On the third charge cycle it covered 24 miles, me assisting with very gentle pedaling. (On private land of course.) It has a top unassisted speed of around 20 mph on the flat. I expect the battery capacity to settle in a little lower after a few more charge cycles, would I be correct? She weighs 30kg at the moment.
Here she is:
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